Departing looks to regain form in Homecoming Classic
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – At one point, Departing was considered a potential top horse, a legitimate threat to crack the top echelon of the North American handicap division.
That has not occurred – but that doesn’t mean it still can’t. What absolutely has to happen for Departing to join the proverbial “discussion” is for the 4-year-old gelding to return to form Saturday at Churchill Downs in the $125,000 Homecoming Classic.
Departing was uncharacteristically dull in finishing eighth of nine in his last start, the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 2.
“I’m like everybody else, wondering what happened that day,” said Al Stall Jr., who trains Departing for owners and breeders Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm. “All I know is he looks good and has trained extremely well since then. We’re very optimistic. We have no plans for any other race. We’re just trying to get back on track right here, right now.”
Departing, with Robby Albarado to ride, will break from post 4 in a field of six older horses in the 1 1/8-mile Homecoming. Carve, Cigar Street, and Pick of the Litter are the chief threats.
This is the second running of the Homecoming, which was won last year by the since-retired Fort Larned.
The Grade 3, $100,000 Jefferson Cup, a one-mile race for 3-year-old turf horses, directly follows as the supporting feature on an 11-race card. Canadian shippers Heart to Heart and Speightsland look like the ones to beat in the Jefferson Cup.
First post Saturday is 12:45 p.m. Eastern, with the Homecoming (race 9) at 4:49 and the Jefferson Cup (race 10) a half-hour later. Fans should be aware that a 3:30 p.m. kickoff is scheduled for the Wake Forest-Louisville football game at nearby Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
Among the Churchill jockeys with scheduled absences Saturday are Corey Lanerie, who will ride in New York, and Rosie Napravnik, who will ride in California.
Sunday is closing day of the 12-day September meet, with action on this circuit moving next Friday to Keeneland.
Homecoming Classic (race 9)
Key contenders
Departing (Last 3 Beyers: 78-98-100)
* The winner of three derbies (Illinois, West Virginia, and Super) last year, he is the class of the field, as a $1.5 million bankroll will attest.
“In the Whitney, he didn’t show up, for whatever reason,” said Stall. “He needs to redeem himself here.”
Carve (Last 3 Beyers: 101-97-95)
* A tractable sort who continues to show peak form, he’ll need one more good race to earn respect going into the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, his main year-end objective.
“The two turns are probably a little bit better than one, but he’ll have to run another big one,” said trainer Brad Cox. “This is a nice field.”
Cigar Street (Last 3 Beyers: 94-104-101)
* There’s not a lot of killer speed in here, and given his freshness and a willingness to inherit the top when no one else wants it, he could be the one to catch in this short field.
“There’ve been a lot of defections at the top of the handicap division, and we’d love to fill one of those spots,” said co-owner Jake Ballis. “He has to step up Saturday.”
Jefferson Cup (race 10)
Key contenders
Heart to Heart (Last 3 Beyers: 96-79-63)
* Front-running romps on the turf courses of Keeneland and Saratoga suggest that Julien Leparoux would do well to send him to the front, with only Speightsland seeming capable of keeping him honest.
* Company lines are replete with recognizable, stakes-proven 3-year-olds, including Asserting Bear, Jessica’s Star, Conquest Top Gun, and Lexie Lou.
Speightsland (Last 3 Beyers: 87-82-82)
* Steady colt is among the seemingly endless supply of classy up-and-comers trained by Mark Casse, who shows a solid strike rate (17 percent) from a large sample size (985 starters) with horses returning from layoffs of 31 to 60 days.
Almost Famous (Last 3 Beyers: 87-83-86)
* This is the grass debut for a colt who temporarily fostered hopes for the spring classics before faltering in the Fountain of Youth and Spiral.
“He has two siblings that have both won on turf, so we’re hoping he takes to it well,” said trainer Pat Byrne.
